By MICHELLE HERBISON
CHEMISTRY came easily for Red Stitch Theatre’s Ella Caldwell and Ben Prendergast when they first worked together intimately in a romantic comedic play.
“It’s very funny how the characters take over. The actual chemistry of the story is just there in the writing and, apparently, it was there for us,” Caldwell said.
In Midsummer – a Play with Songs, the duo portray two 35-year-olds who get together in an Edinburgh wine bar despite being totally unsuited to each other.
The performance ensues with the couple taking their audience on a hilarious ride through a rollicking, spontaneous weekend.
“It’s a fantastically fun romantic comedy with a bit of grit and a lot of heart. It’s definitely not a musical but it’s a play that is aided in its telling by some very fitting acoustic songs written for the production,” Caldwell explained.
Characters Bob and Helena would “normally not come within a mile of each other” but end up spending a “wild wild fun” weekend together, she laughed.
“They find themselves in a situation where they’re thrown together pretty much through lack of anything better to do, Caldwell said.
“At times it’s a heartbreaking glimpse into these people’s lives but also all of our hopes to connect and the awkward moments in life that end up defining you in a way.”
The structure of the play was “as haphazard as the weekend itself”, with the two actors telling the entire story “in a way you’d tell your best mate”, she said.
“You come on a ride with us and it’s a bit of a romp. I was very pleased to be cast because I have great respect for the playwright David Greig as a writer and a fondness for his work.”
Caldwell suggested that Midsummer – a Play with Songs would appeal to “anyone who’s ever had a big night that they regret or a big night that they’re eternally grateful for”.
Melbourne audiences had been “blown away by how much fun they had” watching the production and felt “transported” to Edinburgh.
“We had a lot of Scottish people come and thankfully they liked our accents,” Caldwell said with relief.
Midsummer – a Play with Songs opens at GPAC on 10 July.
